By TN Ashok Diplomatic Editor
New Delhi, Nov 25 : German Ambassador in India Michael Steiner has chosen to observe his 65th birthday in India with a difference – hold a satsangh at his residence before a distinguished audience of scholars, academics, social and political figures with the renowned spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar gracing the occasion.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is expected to speak on how to bring different cultures together and foster the mutual understanding between people in Europe and India, Steiner told newsmen today.
The German Ambassador denied strongly any suggestions that inviting Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was part of any lobbying effort to use his influence with Sanskrit scholars to prevail on the government to back off on the issue of the reported move to scrap german as a 3rd language in kendriya vidyalayas and replacing it with Sanskrit.
Steiner said he had been in touch with the spiritual guru for a long time and he had made the first move to invite him to the embassy even before the elections had taken place in India. There are written records to show this, he said adding that it was only now he had received confirmation of his acceptance to come to Delhi, suggesting it was a coincidence.
The German Ambassador said : “ Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been an inspiration to countless people around the world and a voice for human values and peace. He shows us that less is more. He teaches us to open our eyes to the magnificence of creation and the mystery of the life every day. His goal is to uplift people and help shape a violence free human identity above the boundaries of race, nationality and religion”.
The German embassy in a communiqué said that in view of the huge interest, the Satsangh will be open to all those who register with the embassy until November 27. In order to do so, they would have to contact Ms Prarthana Chandra on phone +91 11 44 199 125 or on email [email protected].
